Training Your Pet Bird

Some birds can be trained to do tricks and even to talk. A well-trained bird repeats words, throws a ball into a cup, and bows its head when you clap. You can use books, Web sites, and magazines to find out how to train your bird. Remember, the most important rule is always to be gentle and patient with your bird.

Although birds are usually very healthy, sometimes they can get sick. For example, if a bird is sneezing and keeping its feathers ruffled, it may have a cold. If it is scratching itself, it may have mites. If your bird is acting different from the way it usually acts, talk to a veterinarian. Every year, usually in the summer, birds molt. This means that they shed their old feathers and grow new ones.
If your bird is molting, you do not need to worry or take it to the vet. If you keep your pet bird clean, warm, and well fed; talk to it and play with it every day; and take it to the vet if it becomes sick, you will have a healthy happy pet for a very long time!

Loving Your Pet Bird

It is very important to meet your pet bird’s physical needs. It is just as important to let your bird know that you
love it and that it can trust you. Birds can become sick from stress. This usually happens when a bird is a new pet. Your bird must adjust to its new surroundings and get to know you.

Your bird needs quiet time when you first bring it home. Do not try to pet or handle your bird right away. Keep your bird in its cage. Don’t let it fly around the house for the first few weeks. Your bird needs to relax and get used to its new home.Speak gently and quietly to your bird. Do not make any loud, sudden noises that will frighten it.
Like their owners, birds have feelings. Most birds are very smart and have good
memories. If they are treated badly, they will remember it and start to behave badly.
Always be gentle and kind to your pet bird. Never hit it or yell at it. Hitting or yelling will scare your bird. It may even try to bite you. Some people think it’s cute to dress
their pet birds in doll clothes. This is not a good idea. It will confuse your bird and
may make it feel foolish.
Birds can also get lonely. In the wild, most birds live in flocks with many other birds. If you have a lot of time to give to your bird, it will be happy living alone in its cage. If you are gone most of the day, it may be a good idea to get more than one bird. But first make sure that your bird will get along well with another bird.

Keeping Your Pet Bird Warm

It is important to keep your bird warm. Most birds are from warm climates and don’t like cold. This is especially important when you first bring your bird home. For the first few days, try to keep the room where your bird is kept slightly warmer than usual. Make sure there are no cold drafts near the cage so that your bird will not get chilly.
It is also important that your bird gets sunlight. But never put it in hot, direct sunlight for a long time. Birds can become overheated easily. A good solution may be to get a special light, called a full-spectrum bird light. This light is good for your bird, but it is not dangerous.At night you should cover your bird’s cage with a sheet or a towel. Your bird should have ten to twelve hours of total quiet and darkness each day.

Taking Care of Your Pet Bird

Your bird should have fresh water every day. You should also change the newspaper at the bottom of its cage every day. The cage must be kept clean, so the bird can stay healthy. Some birds like to take baths. You can put a shallow dish of water in the cage every week. Remove the dish when the bird is finished bathing. Your bird should also have a dish of grit in its cage. Grit is small stones that a bird uses to grind its food, since it does not have teeth. It is also a good idea to attach a piece of mineral block to the side of the cage. Your bird needs minerals, such as calcium. It can get these from pecking the mineral block.